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Minimum wage still to be reviewed --- McLeod News --- Page A6
news
A3
Friday, January 16, 2015 www.guardian.co.tt Guardian
6.0000
6.1847
6.3433
4.9652
5.2017
5.4618
9.1090
9.5427
10.0199
7.0226
7.3570
7.7249
*******
0.0532
0.0562
6.7707
6.0595
7.4478
2.1540
2.2582
2.3937
2.9050
*******
3.2282
for 15TH JANUARY, 2015
GETTING LOOSE
Soca diva Destra
Garcia gets low
during the second
installment of
Guardian Media
Limited's Eye
Slam Concert
Series 2015 at
Woodford Cafe,
Chaguanas, on
Wednesday night.
PHOTO:
ABRAHAM DIAZ
KALIFA CLYNE
Reigning Digicel International Groovy
Soca Monarch Kerwin Du Bois will not
be defending his title on Fantastic Fri-
day.Du Bois said yesterday he would not
be a part of this year s competition, making
him the first of the artistes to use new
rule change announced by organisers
Caribbean Prestige Foundation for the Per-
forming Arts (CPF) to his benefit.
Speaking through his publicist Adanna
Asson yesterday, Du Bois said he did not
want to defend his title. He said he only
entered the competition last year because
his fans had requested that he do so.
This year, however, Du Bois, who
dethroned Machel Montano last year with
his runaway hit Too Real, said he wanted
to explore other avenues this year.
"He wants to do something different
and so he will be having an event at the
Normandy on February 1 in order to give
back to his fans," Asson said.
It has not been confirmed whether Mon-
tano will defend his power soca title at
the event on Fantastic Friday but sources
close to the entertainer told the T&T
Guardian yesterday that it is very unlikely
at this point.
Montano did not confirm or deny
whether he would compete at the event
or not, when contacted by the T&T
Guardian. He directed all questions to his
manager Che Kothari but efforts to contact
him were unsuccessful yesterday.
Earlier this week, organisers CPF
announced that incumbent monarchs
would not have to automatically defend
their crowns in this year s competition.
Previously, a title defence was mandatory
and artistes refusing to do so had to return
90 per cent of their winnings.
Contacted yesterday, CPF spokeswoman
Jeniece Schoon said the decision to revise
the rule was taken in order to support the
younger artistes in the competition.
As to Du Bois and Montano s partic-
ipation, she said she was unaware of any
decisions made by the artistes.
"I can t comment on that because that
is not something I know of," Schoon said.
Soca artistes were mostly supportive of
the rule change, which allows Du Bois and
Montano the choice to defend their titles
or not without fear of financial repercus-
sions.
In a brief interview yesterday, groovy
soca artiste Darryl Henry (Farmer Nappy)
said the change was long overdue.
He added: "That rule should have
stopped long time because at the end of
the day if you win a competition and you
say, I don t want to go back to competition
no more and you want to hold a record,
you should be able to retire.
"One of the things in the rule is that
if you are not coming back you have to
pay back about 95 per cent of the money
but that rule supposed to change long
time."
Henry felt, however, another aspect of
the competition needed to change---the
prize money for the Groovy competition---
which is usually less than the prize for the
power category.
He said CPF should consider raising the
prize as groovy soca songs had longevity
after the Carnival season.
Soca songstress Fay-Ann Lyons-Alvarez,
who brought the rules into focus when
she and husband, Ian "Bunji Garlin"
Alvarez, chose to stay away from the event
in 2013, said it was interesting.
"I honestly don t know what to say.
When I was against it, a number of people
were against me," Lyons-Alvarez said.
But she said the rule change could not
influence a decision from her to re-enter
the competition. "I am done with it," she
added.
Yesterday, competitors in the semi-finals
of the Digicel International Groovy Soca
Competition and the National Lotteries
Control Board (NLCB) Power Soca Com-
petition drew for positions at the Digicel
Imax Theatre, Woodbrook.
Soca music fans flocking to the Queen s
Park Savannah Greens next Sunday will
be forced to come early and leave late if
they want to see some of the most popular
artistes, as some of the top acts pulled late
numbers for a total of 84 performances,
with a few performing in both categories.
Kerwin weighs
concert for fans
Rumours Machel may opt out Power too
POSITIONS
Performance positions for Soca Monarch
semi-finals on January 25:
Digicel Power Soca Monarch
1. Destra Garcia
2. Ozzie Reid (Leadpipe) and Reshawn Ince (Saddis)
3. Nicholas Joel Sealy (Fadda Fox)
4. Delroy (Fireman) Hooper
5. Shal Marshall
6. Irvin Blackman (Blackie)
7. Edwin Ayoung (Crazy)
8. Shivonne Churche (Lil Bitts)
9. Kerlene (Kerlz) Joseph
10. Kevin James (Young Voice)
11. Umi Marcano and John Alibocus (Makamillion)
12. Akeem (Preedy) Chance
13. Devon Martin (Lyrikal)
14. Keron Boodoosingh (Tim Tim)
15. Denise (Saucy) Belfon
16. Sasha Ann Moses
17. Jahmoun Mendoza
18. Orlando Octave
19. Benjamin Le Blanc (Benjai)
20. Kenrick (Shaolin) George
21. Olatunji Yearwood.
22. Ravi B
23. Darnella Simmons
24. Nadia Batson
25. Iwer George
26. Joel Feveck (Zan)
27. Kernel Roberts (Kitch)
28. Shurwayne Winchester
29. Erphaan Alves
30. Gamal Doyle (Skinny Fabulous)
31. Dev
32. Darryl Henry (Farmer Nappy)
33. Dexter Stewart (Blaxx)
34. Wilt Cambridge (Talpree)
35. Joanna Hutton (Jo Jo)
36. Faith Antoine
37. Carlton Cordle (Biggie Irie)
38. Nesta Boxhill (Sekon Sta)
39. Menace
40. Jenelle de Leon (J Angel)
41. Patrice Roberts
42. Roderick Gordon (Chucky)
43. Roger joseph (Patch)
44. Oscar B
45. Akil Borneo (5 Star Akil)
46. Simon Delph (Syo)
47. Ricardo Drue
NLCB Power Soca Monarch positions:
1. Ken Marlon Charles (KMC)
2.Shal Marshall and Squeeze Head
3. Akeem (Preedy) Chance
4. Patrice Roberts
5. Rossi Khempis (RKG)
6. Iwer George
7. Denise (Saucy) Belfon
8. Delroy (Fireman) Hooper
9. Erphaan Alves
10. Hollis Mapp (Mr Killa)
11. Andrew Hitz Phillip
12. Jenelle de Leon (J Angel)
13. Shurwayne Winchester
14. Gamal Doyle (Skinny Fabulous)
15. Kris (KI) Persad.
16. Heaven Charles (Snakey)
17. Iwer George
18. Ann G
19. Destra Garcia
20. Pelf
21. Kernel Roberts (Kitch)
22. Dexter Stewart (Blaxx)
23. Terron Callender (Jaiga)
24. Devon Samuel (Prophet Benjamin)
25. Jelani
26. Swappi and Dueceman
27. Skinny Banton
28. Ricardo Drue
29. Fya Empress
30. Nikki Crosby (Granny)
31. Luney Sparks and Electrify
32. Eddie Charles
33. Squeezy Rankin
34. Austin Lyons
(Super Blue)
35. CJ
36. Devon Matthews
37. Nadia Batson